Beaded Dolls

Beaded Dolls are used for many purposes in traditional African societies and come in many variations. 
Dolls play a role in fertility, healing, courtship and play rituals.
Today dolls are made and dressed in the traditional clothing of the past. 
The well-known doll-maker, Lobolile Ximba, dresses her dolls with takkies (shoes) and earplugs this is how the women dress in ceremonies today.

ZULU DOLLS -USES AND MEANING

PLAY- Dolls are used by young girls for play.

Courtship - Older girls at the courtship age, would make a beaded doll and give it to a young man as a symbol of her love. Although the young man accepted the doll, he would accept dolls from other admires, until he decided on who he wanted to pledge himself to.

Fertility - If an older woman wanted a baby, she would often make a doll and place it by her bed as a good luck symbol.

Healing - Doll were used as vehicles symbols for absent healing. The patient at home can send her doll to the traditional healer and by transmission may be healed.

Culture -Today dolls are dressed in the traditional dress of the area they come from. They represent indicators of socail function in the Zulu culture i.e meaning of dress, hairstyle, headdress and beadwork. Typical dolls are dresses in the dress of married women, wearing an isidwaba which is a leather pleated skirt. This is worn with icicholo a red ochre hat symbolising that the lobolo/ dowry has been fully paid. In the Msinga area, capes are worn around the shoulders in emerald green, purple and blue. beadwork also tells a story according to the status depicted.

Doll by Khulumelaphi Sold	Doll by Thembi Mchunu sold

Dolls in Traditional dress from the Msinga area of KwaZulu-Natal

Mother & child by Fokisile Ngema    R575.00